On Monday I shared
photos of the spiky plants at Lotusland (as seen during my November 2023 visit), today we'll have a look at the ferns and bromeliads...
My entire visit that day was limited to just two hours and I hadn't earmarked the fern garden as a "must see". Thank goodness I ended up with a few extra minutes and was able to dash thru this special—but frequently overlooked—part of the garden.
I don't recall seeing this palm (?) trunk used as a mount for staghorn ferns on my previous visits.
I love it!
More tree ferns, perhaps Sphaeropteris cooperi, synonym Cyathea cooperi?
Pyrrosia lingua I believe.
Looks like something that would be called a bird's nest fern, but it's definitely not a Asplenium nidus.
I wonder what the weight of one of those hanging staghorns is?
Here's a small one just getting started. You can kind of make out the cage holding the plants together.
This part of the garden would be nothing without the huge old trees to support the epiphytic ferns. One of them came down with the heavy rains earlier this year. I believe they were able to rescue the fern however.
Niphidium crassifolium
We've moved to the bromeliads now.
I think this may have been the first time I've walked this part of Lotusland without extreme shadows. The high filtered light was lovely.
I can't give you names of these plants, just think of it as a dreamy photo essay...
Oh! This one I know, or at least I suspect. It's got to be a pyrrosia but I don't know what species has such ultra-thin leaves.
Check out that variegated fruit!
Thanks Lotusland, you're always a special place to visit.
All material © 2009-2024 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
This was well worth the wait. Thank goodness you've managed a good number of photos for a few minutes 'dash'. I'm dazzled by each one, love it when I spot a massive Jewel chain fern and wowed by the variegated fruit... whatever it is.
ReplyDeleteChavli
I wonder just how closely aligned with the pineapple that fruit is?
DeleteI don't remember the fern area at all, another indication that a return visit is warranted. The use of the (retired) palm tree is clever. The wire cage is interesting too and has me wondering if I should try putting my poor mistreated staghorn in a wire hanging basket.
ReplyDeleteYep, get yourself up there for a visit! I found that cage approach very interesting, I wonder how the massive ones start out? A couple of mine are sending out shield fronds large enough they'll soon be starting to cover the container.
DeleteBeautiful, Loree! Flipping back through, one appreciates how much the heavy tree limbs contribute substance to these views.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, and the shade those plants require (esp. in that climate).
DeleteThankfully for us you ventured into the ferns and broms garden. Wow! I don't think I have seen this area featured before. Those are some of the biggest staghorn ferns I have ever seen and I do love the trailing tillandsia. Thanks for a great tour.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! The ferns and bromeliads are quite a distance from each other, and the bromeliads were a must see for sure. I was thrilled to have time to backtrack to the fern garden.
DeleteI spent a little bit of time trying to track down pictures of staghorn ferns in nature, wondering how big they get out there in the real world. Didn't find much. They certainly couldn't get that big on a smaller tree without toppling the whole shebang.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to name my favorite garden in the world, I'd Lotusland. Is there any other garden like it? Ganna Walska was a visionary in so many ways, esp. in how she established a trust so her garden would be preserved for future generations--like us.
ReplyDelete